Egypt's Minister of Water Resources, Hani Suwelim, emphasized the country's unique water situation, stating that over 98% of its renewable water resources come from outside its borders. With a total of 56.8 billion cubic meters of renewable water resources annually, the country's needs stand at approximately 123 billion cubic meters per year. This results in a per capita share of 472 cubic meters per year, placing Egypt under the absolute water scarcity threshold of 500 cubic meters per capita per year.
Suwelim made these remarks during a session organized by the Egyptian General Authority for Information with regional and international media representatives and foreign correspondents in Cairo. The session aimed to enhance direct communication with foreign media, provide official data on water issues, and explain Egypt's vision for managing water resources and cooperation in the Nile Basin. Over 80 correspondents from around 45 foreign media outlets participated in the session.
The session included a presentation by Suwelim, followed by an open dialogue with foreign correspondents, covering Egypt's water situation, efforts to address water scarcity, cooperation with Nile Basin countries, and the intergovernmental process. The minister highlighted Egypt's efforts to address these challenges, including reusing approximately 23.2 billion cubic meters of water annually and adding 4.8 billion cubic meters of treated wastewater per year.
Suwelim stressed that desalination is a complementary component of Egypt's water management system but will not replace the Nile River's water. He outlined the second generation of Egypt's water management system (2.0), focusing on transitioning to more intelligent, efficient, and flexible management through expanded water treatment and reuse, automated monitoring, and the use of satellite imagery, artificial intelligence, and drones.
The minister assured that Egyptian citizens should be reassured that the state closely monitors the water situation, possessing advanced systems for monitoring, forecasting, and managing different scenarios. He emphasized that ensuring citizens' water security is a top priority. Suwelim also noted that Egypt's ability to manage risks domestically does not exempt other countries from their obligations regarding the international river.
Suwelim presented an overview of the Nile Basin's water resources, stating that the basin receives approximately 2,000 billion cubic meters of rainfall annually, with only about 84 billion cubic meters continuing to flow down the Nile to Aswan. This represents around 4-5% of the basin's total rainfall. He countered claims that Egypt receives the lion's share of the Nile's water, noting that Egypt's 55.5 billion cubic meters account for only about 2.7% of the basin's total rainfall.
Suwelim highlighted Egypt's cooperation with Nile Basin countries, citing various projects, including drilling 365 wells, establishing groundwater treatment plants, and implementing flood protection and water harvesting projects. He also mentioned a new funding mechanism with an initial $100 million to support developmental projects in Nile Basin countries. The minister pointed to the Julius Nyerere Dam in Tanzania as a model of constructive cooperation in the Nile Basin.
Key points
- Egypt's water resources are 98% dependent on external sources.
- The country's per capita share of water is 472 cubic meters per year.
- Egypt is working to enhance water management through reuse, desalination, and advanced technologies.
